Pesky and Difficult to cure problem with SMT transmission

Anonymous · May 14, 2004, 15:02

I have a beautiful grey metalic SMT, which is only just a year old, and which is a Japanese import. It was my pride and joy, but as I havent laid eyes on it for three months now, maybe I only dreamt I had it! First problem was a very low idle speed, which I innocently thought was likely to be a minor adj. but how very wrong I was! Next symptom, a week later was creepforward like an old-style auto-box if I took my foot off the brake, pesky, but manageable except when the car stalled before I could get my foot on the gas...next the car began to refuse to select neutral and would pull alarmingly against the brake and would then stall. I gave up & took the car to a Toyota dealer who supposedly specialised in imports, they totally failed to achieve a fix, saying they could not download the code from the diagnostic system. Not to bore you all, 13 weeks (and counting) later the car is back with the people who sold it to me, and they are still trying hard to sort out the problem....with strictly limited success so far...as the warranty is only a dealer one, I am up to date £400 quid out of pocket for hire cars & transporter costs! Still love my car, and dont want ANYONE saying 'should have bought a UK car'!! But has anyone out there had similar probs with an SMT, and if so, what eventually caused it to go properly again? I have a horrible feeling this may yet end up with my solicitor, so either advice or sympathy are both equally sought....On the plus side, I guess I have driven Japanese motors for 15 years, and this is the first really intractable problem I have ever had, so maybe I am still on the credit side of the ledger, but beginning to find it hard to keep feeling philosophical! Any comments?

Anonymous · May 14, 2004, 15:06

What a pain.

Not sure why the fact it's a Jap import should have any real bearing on the problem, as they're pretty much the same car.

zud · May 14, 2004, 15:20

I think I read about similar problems over on Spyderchat (several months ago... I haven't gone there is ages). It might be worth a search over there.

Anonymous · May 14, 2004, 19:30

It's not the difference between a jap import and a UK car he's on about, it's the fact the warranty isn't effective over here with the friendly MrT garages. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

I'm sure i remember a few differnt reasons this can happen. The hydraulic system could need bleeding or it's a SMT ECU problem, many have had this changed. The SMT lads will be along soon and guide you down the right path(s). s:? :? s:?

DAZ400 · May 17, 2004, 12:27

You have my sympathy my SMT went in for a new clutch and flywheel. this took a week. Got the car back then it would not run and is back at the dealers not working. SMT is fantastic while it is working but if it goes wrong it is very dificult to fix for the dealers it seems to be way to difficult.

I would get them to remove all the linkages clean and re grease then bleed the system and get them to plug the computer in and go through the re learn process.

This was done with mine also I had an "Upgraded SMT ECU"

See my other posts for problems. s:cry: :cry: s:cry:

heathstimpson · May 17, 2004, 13:57

Quote from: "DAZ400"You have my sympathy my SMT went in for a new clutch and flywheel. this took a week. Got the car back then it would not run and is back at the dealers not working. SMT is fantastic while it is working but if it goes wrong it is very dificult to fix for the dealers it seems to be way to difficult.

I would get them to remove all the linkages clean and re grease then bleed the system and get them to plug the computer in and go through the re learn process.

This was done with mine also I had an "Upgraded SMT ECU"

See my other posts for problems. s:cry: :cry: s:cry:

Have you actually got it back now Darren s:?: :?: s:?:

Anonymous · May 17, 2004, 15:46

Thanks for your replies folks, No Darren, I dont have my car back yet, but I am giving the dealers until tomorrow to fix it, and I am then going to start quoting the good old Sale Of Goods Act at them, and see where that gets me. I agree that the problem is most probably ECU based, but they dotn want the expense of changing that (I think) hence more tinkering about....Have to say I wouldnt get an SMT again, great system when it works, and I loved it, nightmare when it goes wrong, as too many likned systems to diagnose..... DAZNA

Chris · May 20, 2004, 14:11

I think I'm right in saying that the jap ecu is different to the uk one, and that's why it can't be read by the standard uk diagnostic tool that the dealers plug in.

there have been discussions about the different types of obd port and how to read them, bothe here and on spyderchat, but i think no positive outcome was reached.

I've only ever had 1 problem with the clutch on my smt overheating, when crawling in traffic up a hill, so hopefully won't get any more (touchwood s:wink: :wink: s:wink: ) SteveJ had lots of problems with his previous car, that was diagnosed as air/dirt in the hydralics iirc, as has been mentioned.

Anonymous · May 20, 2004, 14:27

Consensus is emerging that it is likely to be transmission ECU which needs replacing/reprogramming & that this has been a known issue with some SMTs...here is hoping for some progress soon! DAZNA

Jap GT300 · May 20, 2004, 14:39

BTW. I have a second hand SMT ECU for sale if you are interested s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Adam